The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) administration that ordered a closure of the university till October 2, has extended it till October 5, just after a day it witnessed on-campus disturbances and violence. Three additional city magistrates of Varanasi and two police officers were on Monday removed in connection with the lathicharge on students in the university and a high-level probe was ordered into the incident that has spiralled into a major controversy.
VC SPEAKS UP
Several students, mostly girls, besides outsiders were injured in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday when the police resorted to a lathi charge when hundreds of youths tried to barge in the V-C’s house to put forward their demand. “Our hostels are located at secluded place on the campus and the roads are also open for public movement. We cannot move outside hostels after sunset and incidents like eve teasing and molestation are routine ,” Nivedita Kumari said. Another girl added: “The V-C avoids meeting students. We do not remember when we saw him last. We demand his removal.”
MODI SPEAKS WITH YOGI
The V-C later on Sunday however had confronted the media and accepted loop holes. “We accept that we did not reach on time. The trouble makers were mostly outsiders and it was a bid to tarnish the image of the varsity,” V-C GC Tripathi said.
As opposition parties targeted BJP over the police action on the campus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah spoke to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and asked him to address the issue at the earliest. “An FIR has been filed against unidentified policemen in connection with the lathicharge on Saturday night.
A case has also been registered against over 1,000 students in this connection,” a police official said. A press release from Varanasi’s District Information office said additional city magistrates, Manoj Kumar Singh, Sushil Kumar Gaund and Jagdamma Prasad Singh have been removed. Circle officer of Bhelupur, Nivesh Katiyar has also been removed and has been replaced by circle officer of Kotwali, Ayodhya Prasad Singh, cops said. Station officer of Lanka police station, Rajiv Singh has been removed and sent to police lines.
Station officer of Jaitpura police station, Sanjiv Mishra has been posted in his place, officials added. A committee has been constituted under the chief secretary. Necessary action will be taken on the basis of its report. “The committee will see as to how the police had behaved and examine other aspects,” governor Ram Naik said in Lucknow on Monday.
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